Free Shield
The Free Shield knights are a combat arts school steeped in honor and ancient tradition. Nothing is more important to a practitioner than personal honor and righteous action. The Free Shields are very popular with peasants and writers due to their heroic and tragic battles against evil. They are less popular with the Tiger Dynasty (and their predecessors the Dragons), since the Free Shield sense of right and wrong doesn't always coincide with the written law. Free Shield practice uniforms are white, and most advanced practitioners tend to wear mainly white to show their affiliation to the school.
- Disciple. You have been accepted by a knight or a school. You are expected to follow the Free Shield creed and have access to their techniques and property.
- Knight. Must be Adept or Rank 10+. You carry the knight title within the organization and may accept students of your own. You are expected to enforce the Free Shield creed.
- Elder. Must be Remarkable or Rank 13+. You should be consulted on major decisions affecting your branch, and if you have the highest rank you are expected to lead.
The Free Shields were knights of the Mouse Nation when it was sovereign, before the Dragon Dynasty reunified the Twelve Kingdoms. They were legendary for doing good deeds and performing acts of sacrifice and chivalry, and played a prominent role in the War of Three. To many, Free Shields are still a romanticized standard of heroism, at odds with the practical world of politics. The knights were all but obliterated when the Ming won the War of Three, but the survivors kept the spirit and martial style alive by founding "Sports Associations" that taught good conduct, history, and martial arts to the Mouse Kingdom's youth. These Sports Associations are never openly rebellious, but the emphasis on righteous action often leads students to become either rebels or officials.
- Allies: Foundation Stone, Magic Wheel, White Cranes.
- Enemies: Tiger Dynasty, Blood Lotus, Glory Fist.
Structure
The Free Shield's headquarters is a fortress on Mount Pah. Technically it is a school, but that is mostly a masquerade. The fact that the Free Shields at least pretend deference, combined with the fortress' defenses and their popularity with the locals combine to prevent an all out government attack. But if any knights cross the line into open rebellion the Tigers will be forced into action. Apart from the central headquarters in the mountain, there is a "Sports Association" in most major Mouse cities, and some villages were literally founded around a school. A few small Free Shield schools have sprung up in other lands, but most of their influence is confined to the Mouse nation.
- Mount Pah. The solitary mountain fortress of the original knights, now supposedly re-purposed to a school and the headquarters of the order. This is the most prestigious school, and teaches the most esoteric techniques.
- Changhan Sports Association. The largest Free Shield school in the world, residing in the massive city of Changhan. A disproportionately large number of its students end up involved with the White Crane vigilantes.
- Fushan Sports Association. Situated in the city of Fushan, this school is smaller, but has produced more heroes and won more tournaments than any branch of any righteous order. This leads most students to be both proud and capable.
- Zuehay Sports Association. This school in the coastal city of Zuehay has a checkered history of all out battles with rival schools from overseas and neighboring nations. Zuehay students tend to be more mistrustful, but also the most knowledgeable of other techniques.
Creed
Unlike most valiant schools, the Free Shields are nationalistic. Now just a province, the Mouse Nation was an independent nation before the Dragon Nation unified Shiyan. Many within the Free Shields retain a desire for it to be a sovereign nation once more. Though this ideal is popular in the Mouse Nation, it's also treason. Pursuing it openly could touch off a war between the Tiger Dynasty and the Valiant Societies. The Free Shields promote competitiveness, but not at the expense of their core idealism. The Knight's code requires loyalty to the king and to the law, but puts the welfare and virtue of the innocent above either. When in doubt the code requires that the knight judge the righteousness of an action, and then submit to any consequences of the choice.
Justice: Eliminate a corrupt organization.
Focus: Avenge someone who was wronged.
Loyalty: Sacrifice yourself for someone close to you.
Focus: Prevent someone close to you from being harmed.
Violations of the Free Shields code of conduct, or of basic decency, tend to be dealt with quickly and publicly.
- Dishonor. If you break the knightly code you will be expelled from the school. Breaking your word, harming innocents, indecent behavior, and practicing deviant combat skills are all violations.
- Treachery. If you betray the Free Shields or the Mouse nation you may be killed, or kept as a prisoner in the dungeons of Mount Pah Fortress with your martial skills destroyed.
Resources
Each school or association has training grounds and artifacts that you may gain access to. You also gain the right to participate in or attend any valiant tournaments being held.
- Techniques
- Acupoint Strike: You may use scholarship instead of combat for unarmed attacks or to throw Darts, and you gain a bonus when targeting limbs. You can spend 1 focus to paralyze a target in place of rolling damage effects. The target can do nothing until they spend 1focus or suffer damage.
- Iron Shirt: You may use your guard to block without an item. Even if you lose your success margin subtracts from the number of dE rolled.
- Striking Shield: When you throw a balanced shield it returns to you. Any attack with a shield (usually your slam) gains +2dE.
- Watchful Crane: You may use a snap to gain an extra guard.
| Attack | Tier | Keywords | Dice | Blue/Red |
| Acupoint Needles | 2 | Balanced, Pierce 4, Return | 4dE | Stun / Hits |
| Bladestorm | 2 | Short, Spell, Surge: add +2dE and Blast 2, | 6dE | Hit / Bleed |
| Asset | Tier | Keywords |
| Free Shield Circle | 2 | Armor 3, Block, Balanced, Durable, Return |
| Shield Knight Armor | 2 | Armor 3, Bulky 2, Shell, Durable |
| Gleaming Mirror | 3 | Block, Relic: momentum redirects attack with original margin. |
| Crane Sheath | 3 | Armor 4, Shell, Relic: Fly speed 6, gain the Bladestorm spell. |
| Martyr's Crown | 3 | Armor 3, Head, Relic: When follower/band is hit, you may suffer the effects. |
Concepts
| Free Shield Doctor |  | ||
| Recommended Fault | Recommended Goals | ||
| Compassionate | Good | Life | |
| Signature Skill | Key Skill | Notable Skill | |
| Scholarship | Combat | Communication | |
| Abilities | |||
| Brawl (Watchful Crane), Concentrate, Grapple (Catching Grasp), Heal (Acupoint Strike, Brew Antidote, Expert Triage), Interpret, Network (Well Connected), Notice, Recall (Esoteric Study), Tough (High Energy, Iron Shirt) | |||
| Brief Description | |||
| These pillars of the community can use their knowledge to hurt or heal. Doctors have ties inside and outside the Valiant Societies, making them common intermediaries. | |||
| Free Shield Paladin |  | ||
| Recommended Fault | Recommended Goals | ||
| Gallant | Good | Justice | |
| Signature Skill | Key Skill | Notable Skill | |
| Rank | Combat | Agility | |
| Abilities | |||
| Brawl (Watchful Crane), Carry, Chance, Intimidate (Dire Challenge, Withering Stare), Lead (Fighting Spirit), Plan (Surprise Mob), Slash (Close Escort, Shield Bastion, Striking Shield), Tough (Iron Shirt), Tumble | |||
| Brief Description | |||
| Paladins try to be paragons of virtue, and they walk a thin line between helping the downtrodden and treason. | |||
Related Destinies
- Destroy the Glory Fists. Glory Fists are widely considered the Free Shield's chief rival within the martial world, and the largest threat if it ever openly rebelled. How will you eliminate them?
- Destroy the Free Shields. The Free Shield's situation is precarious. Any rebellion is likely to lead to its total destruction. Likewise Glory Fists and Righteous Text sages both find the Free Shields inconvenient, and many criminals and cults seek its destruction. You are the tool that makes this happens, but are you a pawn or a mastermind?
- Free the Mouse Nation. The Mouse Nation was once a sovereign nation unto itself, before the Dragons and the Tigers. If the Tigers fall and the Dragons are too weak to regain control, it could be again.
- Rule the Valiant Societies. The Free Shields could wrest control of the Valiant Societies from the Righteous Text sages, leading all into rebellion and spreading honor and ethics to the entire martial world.
- Lead the Free Shields. Grand Master Wong will need to step down someday, who will have the prowess, reputation, and clout necessary to replace him?
- Restore the Free Shield Knights. It has been centuries since the Free Shield Knights have existed as anything other than legends or individual lunatics. One knight is a harmless eccentric, but a group of knights is a rogue military unit. A unit who will follow you.
- Start open Free Shield rebellion. It seems inevitable that someday the Free Shields will become embroiled in rebellion, and so it starts with you.
Notable Individuals
- Grand Master
- Recruits
- Free Shield Troublemaker (5 points)
- Free Shield Knight (15 points)
See Also
Version 2.5.2
©2014 Frameworks Games
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